Cherry Amaretto Jam

 

Cherry Almond Jam Recipe

Ingredients
36 ounces (2.25 lbs) pitted chopped cherries {weight is AFTER pits are removed}
3/4 cup almond liqueur {Diserano Amaretto}
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 package {1-3/4 ounces} powdered fruit pectin
4 – 1/2 cups sugar

Canning Supplies
4-oz jelly jars or larger depending on desired amount
O-rings {make sure there is no rust or wear on inner}
New pop lids {these can’t be reused although I am looking at a new product}
Jar grabber
Magnetic lid grabber
wide mouth funnel (canning funnel)
Water bath pot
Terry towel

Wash Jars, lids, and Orings in hot soapy water. Rinse well, make sure there are no cracks or chips inside or on rim of jar. This could allow for bacteria to get in or prevent a seal. Bring a small pan of water up to boil, turn off heat and let set a few minutes. Place rings and lids in and leave until ready.
Fill our water bath up to two inches above jars. I stick a clean empty one in there no lid to gauge.
Cheat: Bring the water up to boil while your making your jam. Modern electric stoves can have a hard time getting that much water volume hot. Preheating the water will allow you to process more effectively.

Place cherries, almond liqueur, lemon juice, and pectin powder in large pot, 6-8 quarts at least. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar a cup at a time, stirring to reduce risk of foamy boil over. {Trust me}. Let boil roll for 1 minute. Take off heat, scrap foam with metal slatted spoon.

Jars should be upright on towel next to your sauce. You should also be able to turn that water bath down now and let the water sit while you get your jam ready.

Place wide mouth funnel in jars and ladle jame 1/4 of inch to top. Remove and take clean damp towel around rim to remove any excess. Place pop top, turn Oring down to almost last turn. You essentially want the ring on but not tight if that makes sense. Turning it to the almost last point where you need to tighten is the ideal placement.

When all jars are full, use grabbers to lift and place in water bath. You want to move in a crane like motion. Lifting straight up over and lowering. This prevents your sauce from tilting and potentially leaking or preventing a seal. Your water bath canner should have a shelf or wrack on the bottom. Place jars on wrack a little bit apart so they don’t touch. Brings to rolling boil again and process 10 minutes.

Using same crane arm method life jars on to clean terry towel  and let stand over night (or at least 4-6 hours). Jars should be upright and as they start to cool  you will hear the tell take sound of jars popping and sealing.

Any ars that did not seal – pour immediately over ice cream French toast or something incredibly Delicious.

Two Planes to Paradise

The Family has hit vacation mode.

First I want to thank Delta Airlines for exceptional service, our fancy pants comfy seats, and welcoming our newest Sky Team members K and M. Our Monday travel day started as the most Monday of any Monday. A flat tire on my seven day old car, running late for our flight, severe stomach disorder with a sprinkle of vertigo. Monday.

Our first flight while several hours, was full of cocktails and movies. I think we were all a little too sleepy to think up conversation, although Mr. Aviation was informative regarding the parts he sells and does not sell to Delta. I learned all about FAA regulations on Lavs, and why they still have ashtrays. Uhm… Big Gov – totally redundant FYI.

The second flight is where my adventure really kicked it up a notch and where fear had to take a back seat. We essentially flew from the main island – to another, on what I could only equate was an old motorcycle with wings. The Family cheered and smiled as the props spun up and the engines spurted to life. No, that’s not waxing some poetic there. Literally if you were choking on spaghetti but still able to breath, slightly, our engines would be you. The pilot felt it was wise to place me right behind him. He didn’t see the barf bag hidden in the flap of my purse. We also left out my extreme vertigo in pre-flight rules and review. Some parts were spectacular. Watching rain hit the sun and the rainforest simultaneously made me feel this much closer to God, and almost (i did) cry.

The ride from the port to our little hut was another story for tomorrow. The hut is sweet and our host just as much. There is no A/C. I am sticky like honey but dipped in a fine grain exfoliator and there may be millions of tiny bugs eating me. BUT I woke up this morning with my husband, and walked a coral reef holding his hand. My sweet loves laid sweaty and exhausted back at the hut, but did not have to wake, work, or do anything but be in this moment with us.

Ouch! Whats that on my butt?

Courtesy of Rodale’s Organic Life

Yep the season is in.
I have not had a tick on my body since living in Virginia, oh what 30 years ago? Gross. Just Gross. Until this year, our chickens and turkeys have eliminated every bug in our yard.

With the new run, houses, and hawks, they have been very pleased to not run around the yard tearing up our Hostas. I may need to fence off plants and set them free this weekend. Tick surgery this morning from Dr. Hubbie was all butt (ha) too much to take.

Its that or I burn every mother loving piece of leaf and wood in our yard in the fire pit.

Wood piles, grass, leaves – yep got it all: Keep Ticks out of your Yard

Weekend Thrifting

So, I imposed a self spending cap from here until Big Adventure planning goes into effect. The Family – has decided on a pretty spectacular vacation this year and it is incredibly budget friendly once we get there. Flights, not so much.

The problem with this as you know, I love to shop. Luckily I scored on the thrifting this weekend and fabric buying to ease my compulsions for a few weeks out.

Cheaper By The Dozen
Norcross

Beautiful Vintage Wool Blanket – $4 – Half off tag sale.
Water color Lipstick – $1.99 – half off tag sale.
Monika Heller-Color Pencil – $2 (original mounting)
Pyrex Vintage mixing bowls – $2.99 – half off tag sale.

I can’t even describe the beauty of this. The fine pencil details, the rustic scene. This was an insane find. Who ever let this go, I promise I will cherish it forever.

So in the big picture these items all look insanely kitchy. No ?

Imagine if you will a dove grey sofa, with hot pink and gold pillows, with that beautiful Scottish wool throw draped over the back.
My bathroom, pale blue and lemons, that watercolor lipstick re-framed in only a glass frame to show edges and full print – hung with a gold chain next to my vanity.

Ms Monika – Well she is TBA. The original framing and backing add value to her. That color green, not so much to my liking but perhaps that’s where we compromise in our love affair. From the little that is available about her on the net – I do know that her husband matted, mounted and framed her prints as well as her originals. That hand crafted loving care – something I want to keep.

 

Apricot Chiffon Pie

Comments yesterday led me to look up some pie recipes in the 1894 Cookbook and beyond. The request was for an Apricot Chiffon. Those old fashioned recipes that aren’t easily tracked down any longer from our Aunt’s cookbook and note cards. I have found that old recipes used terminology more as a descriptive on what the item “looked” like, rather than its elements of construction. Chiffon could mean – whipped airy or even meringue topped – as to have a light and airy appearance. It could also very well mean chiffon in technique. 

Going with both principles I poured over the vintage cookbook and recipe assortment in my cabinets. I did find a few items to test – so dear reader I hope this matches the pie your Aunt made! First up is my Aunts recipe from a news clipping. It is about circa 1950s. I rewrote since the copy is so small. I have not tested this yet. Let me know ! 

Happy’s Apricot Chiffon Pie

2 cups dried apricots
2 tsp unflavored gelatin
2 TBL lemon juice
2 egg yolks
2 TBL granulated sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 TBL grated orange rind
2 egg whites
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup heavy cream whipped
Shredded Coconut

Tools Needed:
sieve – dutch boiler – mixing whisks and beaters

Cook Apricots and sweeten per package directions
Drain reserve liquid
Process apricots through sieve
Soak gelatin in lemon juice 5 minutes
Beat egg yolks lightly; add sugar, salt, ½ cup liquid drained from apricots
Cook over hot water stirring constantly (to prevent scorching) until slightly thickened
Add gelatin stirring gently until dissolved
Blend 1 cup apricot pulp, orange rind and set to cool.
Beat egg whites until slightly stiff; then add ¼ cup sugar beating until stiff.
Gently fold into apricot mixture – making sure it has cooled properly or your peaks will soften.
Fold in whipped cream.
Butter 9 inch pie plate and sprinkle with ½ coconut. Fold in apricot mixture. Sprinkle remaining coconut on top and chill until set

Apricot Chiffon Pie – Martha Stewart

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 pounds apricots, pitted and quartered
• 3/4 cup plus 1/3 cup cold water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• Scant 4 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (two 1/4-ounce envelopes)
• 5 large eggs, separated
• Pistachio-Shortbread Crust
• Unsalted pistachios, chopped, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring apricots, 3/4 cup water, 3/4 cup sugar, and the salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until apricots are very soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool for 20 minutes.
2. Puree in a blender. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. (You should have 3 cups puree; reserve 1/2 cup.)
3. Sprinkle gelatin over 1/3 cup cold water, and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Heat 2 1/2 cups apricot puree in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk softened gelatin into puree, and stir until gelatin dissolves.
4. Prepare an ice-water bath. Whisk together the yolks and 1/2 cup sugar. Whisk in 1/3 of the apricot-gelatin mixture, then pour back into pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour through sieve into a bowl set in ice-water bath. Whisk until just beginning to gel, 5 minutes.
5. Whisk whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Whisk 1/3 of the whites into apricot-gelatin mixture. Gently fold in remaining whites. Return bowl to ice-water bath; let cool, stirring, until mixture is thick enough to mound, 3 to 5 minutes. Spoon into crust (it will mound quite high). Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Spoon reserved 1/2 cup apricot puree on top and garnish with pistachios.

Benedict Cuperbatch – a new egg

Benedict Cuperbatch – A hungry girl homemade microwave nosh

2 Ramkin (sauce cups) coffee cups if ya got em!
2 Farm Fresh Eggs (yes grocery store is fine.. but really?)
2 Slices vegan or real Canadian Bacon slices
2 Slices Gouda
2 tbl white wine (really more)
2 tsp dijon spicy mustard
1 Kings or Yeast roll – split and toasted

1- Mix your wine and dijon
2- Place equal amounts in each cup
3- Lay in your faux or real bacon
4- Lay in your gouda. I usually crack it half and half
5- Crack one egg in each ramkin
6- Micro on high 2-3 mins.
7- Watch your micro. Cause all food cooks faster when you do. Plus some are more powerful than others – and the goal here is to bring your eggs up to temp but not undercook or over cook them. I don’t like soft poached gooey middles of traditional benedict so I did mine to a soft solid yolk.
8- Put that roll in the toaster, after of course you have sliced it in half.
9- Plop out on to toast and enjoy – saucy juices and all.

Addins – as you can see from my pictures I added in some slices of red and yellow pepper I had in the fridge from a relish tray. Those went in and cooked with everything else to a nice soft but still snappy fresh addition.

 

Fall Beauty Essentials

I love the change in weather. I look forward mostly to fall every year. The shorter days, crisp air, lack of humidity and cozy clothes make me feel comfortable in my skin all over again. Mostly. While the oppressive heat and sun of summer are really taxing on me, the humidity keeps my skin feeling hydrated. During fall and winter, I get rough, like sandpaper rough.

It is very important for me to know supply chain. I have discussed this before in fashion, garden and food posts. I do not want to contribute to a foot print that takes away, but rather gives back to worthy causes, local communities and small business owners. It is also equally important that anything that comes into my life does so at as little as possible impact to other creatures on this planet big and small 🙂

Exfoliate
Spongelle – Bulgarian Rose This super beautiful softly rose dipped body buffer is by far the weirdest and coolest thing I have ever seen. I am totally hooked. It arrived in my Fab Fit Fun box for Fall. That was actually my first box and had so many dang goodies I am also nuts for those. Different post for that chat! This is a true rose scent. So be prepared for summer’s last fading bloom. Too much ? Done with that madness? There is an amber fragrance that hints at pumpkin spiced lattes.

How it works – Wet it , squeeze it, gentle little circles all over you! I found it to REALLY be a great buffer – so second time around I squeezed in to my washcloth – haha. Rinse hang repeat!
Available on Amazon Prime = Yes. 

Protect

Rodan and Fields – Redefine Lip Serum Finger tips and lips are the first signals that fall is on me. Both get rough cracked and feel like that the hiney end of a porcupine. I will be very transparent – I am selling this now. In the upcoming weeks and months I will absolutely feature chats to showcase my personal experience for your decision and review. This stuff works. Its why I chose to sell it among other reasons.  These caps have easily 2-3 doses in them and I mean that. Don’t squeeze the WHOLE thing on your lips. Pop a little hole place a dot on your pinky and rub. I apply a little more at night than in the am. As that is my “renewing” time. I do apply however after regime in the AM for the sole purpose of protecting my lips through the day. 

Prevent

Bed Head Dry Shampoo – My stance on long hot showers has changed. Primarily thanks to the birth of my daughter. 21 years later I average those showers exactly one specific week out of every month. Even then, probably not as hot as when I was a younger lass. Now if I have a grueling work out, cramps, or some other need to relax my muscles, I Epsom soak for 15 mins in pretty hot water and then be done with it ! Usually immediately after I take a 5-10 min cool/tepid shower to rinse crystals off and reset my temp. The old adage – it dries you out = true. The same can be said for your hair.
I invested in a Keratin treatment for my hair this year. I don’t want to wash it or my color out through the bazillions of showers I put myself through. Enter the first dry shampoo that has ever worked and made my hair smell and feel good with no white halo or dandruff type flaking. On Amazon and in regular stores. Very good price !
Tip – I found a really great price on Keratin via one of those discount salons (quick cuts) Call around ! You absolutely can do some leg work, ask what products they use and get a price quote. My total treatment was $50.00. 

 

Most of all: Hydrate!

Thursday Crush: Colette Seamwork Magainze

Seamwork Current Issue

Everyone who has sat at a sewing machine, knows the rhythmic joy and stress relief stitching brings. Your grandmother did this, her mother had to do this. You never “seam” (haha) to have time to do this. How did we lose that time? How are our lives so much busier now, than our grandparents, who did not have the convenience of modern tech?

My fascination and passion with sewing has been a long lived rocky affair. In Jr. High I took the required HomeEc class and ended in tears. I wanted in front of that machine so I could whip out my debut line just in time for Fashion Week! Was I sleeping? Did I miss days. Somewhere from go buy fabric to: sitting in front of my bobbins, I missed the details on cut grain fit measurement pattern picking and doing this right. I ended up with a jumper in some batik tropical print that cut me up in my down theres and didn’t hide my very non-existant up theres. Did I mention we had to do a fashion show for the whole school?

Thus began my love for quilts. They made sense, where clothes did not. Formulaic patterns joined in specific segments to make one big whole. The data scientist in me is coming out right? I only ever made clothes for little people. Easy smaller versions where a french seam could hide a disaster. The funny thing, I always bought patterns. There are mountains of patterns in my basement.

Today I signed up for Seamwork. This is going to change my clothing habits. Crafting a wardrobe is not easy but Colette Patterns wants to take the guess-work and time consumption out of the equation. Most every pattern I have seen is slated at a construction time of 2-3 hours. There are fun tips to save paper resources and of course by being digital you can use multiple times over. Extra credit goes to the team for hosting real sizes.

Dahlia

Juniper

Ceylon

The magazine has even more than articles; tips for patterns focused, swatch guides, health and beauty fun, and of course freebies. Just for sign-ing up I got a gorgeous pattern. It was actually one I wanted to get with my first month’s credits! I get two patterns with every issue. I will start one this weekend to let you know the progress. I have been following the Colette Instagram account and customer shares, for some time thinking I could not do this. I did not have the skill these wonderful makers did. Wrong. Colette makes patterns easy. Wish me luck!

 

 

Fabric App – Sew Awesome

Going through my stash this weekend looking for a special project, I got pretty exhausted trying to remember every box I crammed a pattern into. Have you ever had that thought, “I know I had this one pattern” but can’t remember for the life of you where it is stashed?Ever had SO many patterns you can’t be sure you actually have that one pattern you want or more importantly- need? Looking at my phone, I started Googling.

Yes there’s an app for that. In fact there’s several. Some sewing blogs even have suggestions on how to create your own data base from things like Evernote and forms. My need – easy on hand (in my phone) while in the store.

Case in point. At some my point I bought the same pattern forgetting I already had it. I guess you can tell I really love this eyelet patterned dress. Luckily there’s a friend who missed the Hancock sale and was wanting this.

Enter Sew Awesome.
Here is why I picked this over some other appstore options:
Android
Picture in app – no more saving to other locations and uploading
Tools in App – I can even keep track of my quilt templates and sewing Feet.
Stash in App – Do I have the right buttons – notions – chamray ?
Upgrade to pro to remove ads or have other features $3.99

All in all – I am really happy with it. I am more basic so the framework suits me. I know some of my tech savvy sewers would want features. They exist so if you find and better ones let me know!

The down side is the initial time investment as with anything new. It is so worth it. I have now used the app twice since uploading it over the weekend.

Fabric Find Saturday

We visited In Town Quilters this week to see all of the new colors and patterns on the bolts!

I had not been in the store for some time, and was excited to see the beautiful new patterns stocked. Pixie is starting her first quilt with mother hubbard (me) observing from afar. I have helped only with math and weight but left her to selections of color and patterns. This is deeply personal for her, and I know that quilting mistakes make for excellent teaching moments. She is going to do great!

The ladies are so helpful she spun circles around the store picking up more and more goodness. I was a little less impulsive because my stash is already insane.

I did get –
Alexander Henry – Angela’s Attic in Teal The picture above for some reason makes its look incredibly “grayish”. It’s not.
I thought it would be
dreamy in McCall’s M7387 – View C – but alas my
bewbs once again got the better of my fabric math brain and I lost my ability to think out yardage. Skirt it is ! Ok the more I look at this fabric. No, a dress is going to happen.

 

Riley Blake – Kitchen Cat Teal

Is only a 1/2 yard cut for quilting stash. It is everything I love about vintage colors design and my perfect happy place in color theory. Pinterest surfing the sewing blogs the other night I did see someone do the lemon version in one of Gertie’s designs. Absolutely adorable. Just not me for work wear.

 

 

 Cat Skeletons with Fishbowls –

Same 1/2 cut. Cat in the bowl, I mean come on !

 

 

Michael Miller – Bone Head in Gray

Ok so without realizing I am either getting in the mood for Halloween or I am creating a Day of the Dead quilt in my head.